Had a washing machine catch fire mid-repair last Tuesday

I was in a basement in Aurora fixing a Whirlpool duet that wouldn't drain. Had the panel off and was checking the pump when I saw a little smoke near the control board. Next thing I know, flames start licking up behind the timer knob. I grabbed my fire extinguisher and hit it fast, but it melted the wiring harness and ruined the whole top deck. Customer ended up buying a new machine. I told them flat out it wasn't my fault, but I still feel like I should have spotted the bad relay sooner. Has anyone else had a board go up while you were right there working on it?

3 comments

3 Comments

mianelson12d ago

Are you sure it wasn't just a bad customer wiring job?

phoenix_lewis12d ago

You ever see what happens when someone daisy chains three cheap power strips together though?

nancyg1412d ago

Oh man, not even close. Bad wiring usually causes flickering or tripping breakers, not straight up smoke pouring from the unit. I've seen cheap power strips do that exact thing when they overload. It's almost always the strip itself failing, not the wall wiring or whoever plugged stuff in. The plastic melts from the heat buildup internally and that's what you smell and see.